25 PNG Residents Enter Sota Daily

Merauke, Jubi – Up to 25 citizens of Papua New Guinea entered the border region of Indonesia every day to shop and visit relatives, Sota police chief, Inspector Ma’aruf, said.

Ma’aruf said on Thursday (29/10/2015) that when the PNG citizens enter the border, they must show cross-border documents to officers of Immigration agency in Sota.
“Our duty is only to supervise their addresses,” he said.

He added, They come to Sota by bike or on foot and usually stay for two or three days.

Police chief ensured that there is not marijuana smuggler so far because when border crossers entered in Sota, they are always checked first by the soldiers at the border. “Since I served in Sota, no PNG citizen arrested for carrying marijuana,” he said.

He added that there are also Indonesian people who go PNG, mainly because they have family there.

Sota district chief, Michael Walinaulik some time ago said, usually people who come in Sota generally buy basic needs since it is difficult to get in their own region. (Frans L Kobun)